Abstract
There are many taxonomic problems in polychaete species names and solving confusing or inadequate taxonomic procedures is both time-demanding and extremely important. Our objective in this contribution was to analyse what is the current taxonomic situation for Nereis falsa de Quatrefages, 1866; it was based upon Nereis pulsatoria? Rathke, 1837 from the Black Sea, and it is currently regarded as having a very wide distribution. The species has been collected from different benthic substrates and even can be found on floating objects or marine turtles. Nereis falsa has been recorded from the Mediterranean Sea, the Eastern Atlantic along Africa, the Western Atlantic (Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, Brazil), and the Indian Ocean. However, despite the fact N. falsa was proposed as a species from the Black Sea, it has not yet been found there. How can we explain that a species is able to attain a very wide distribution and yet be missing from its type locality? After a careful study of previous publications and with our understanding of the systematics of nereidid polychaetes, we clarify the current situation by examining several related species and pointed out some nomenclatural issues. Our analysis indicates there is more than one species included under the same name, and in this contribution we propose some means to promote discussion and actions, and suggest some basic research for solving this issue.
Highlights
In polychaete taxonomy, as in many other scientific areas, there are some very influential scientists; these scientists usually were extremely productive and their publications included several faunistic studies or revisions
In N. splendida antennae are shorter than palps, peristomial anterior mid-dorsal margin projects anteriorly, pharyngeal area VI has 3 paragnaths in an inverted triangle or 4(-5) paragnaths in a rhombus, areas VII-VIII have paragnaths in several series, and the homogomph falcigers have long, markedly denticulated blades
This variation has been indicated before by Amoureux (1976: 340), he was referring to N. falsa, and Gravina, Lezzi, Bonifazi, and Giangrande (2015: 159) illustrated the morph having 3 paragnaths in area VI for N. falsa
Summary
As a part of the Fauna Ibérica series, Núñez (2004) made an examination of the genus Nereis Linnaeus, 1758 in the Mediterranean region. Marenzeller (1874) recently supposed N. falsa to be the same as N. parallelogramma Clprd., which Claparède (1868: 477 and 1870: 84) recognized as the same species as that identified by Grube (1840: 73), in comparison with the authentic specimens of Rathke, identified as Nereis pulsatoria. A later record by Ehlers (1913: 496) as N. splendida from Simonstown, South Africa, must correspond to the atokous form of N. lucipeta and as such, could be the one characterized and illustrated by Day for South Africa (1962: 639, 1967: 317, Fig. 14.7ko) This specimen might be in Berlin, but it was not listed by Hartwich (1993) since it was not a species newly described by Ehlers. It is remarkable that despite the fact N. falsa was proposed for a species from the Black Sea, it has not been recorded there (Surugiu, 2005; Şahin & Çinar, 2012)
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